Dispensing-cabinet for paper drinking-cups



`W. E. SWIFTf DISPENSING CABINET FOR PAPER DRINKING CUPS.

APLICATION FILED MAY 5.1911.'

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

2 SHEETS- SHEET 1.

' IS7/venice W. E. SWIFT.

msPENsxNG cAlNEr Foa PAPER DRINKING cuPs.

APPLICATION FILED MAY5|1SI Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l In Uenov UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

WILLARD E. SWIFT, F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED STATESENVELOPE COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

Application filed May 5, 1917. Serial No. 166,748.

' To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VVILLARD E. SWIFT, acitizen of the United States, residing at IVorcester, in the county ofWorcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Dispensing-Cabinets for Paper Drinking Cups, ofwhich the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification.

The present invention relates to the construction of a dispensingcabinetfor paper drinking cups, adapted to receive and hold a stack of suchcups in su-ch a manner as to permit the lowermost cup of the stack to bewithdrawn therefrom, after which the cup immediately above becomesavailable for withdrawal in asimilar manner.

The invention resides in an improved construction for such a cabinet,whereby cheapness, simplicity and ease of operation are obtained, theessential features of the inven tion being fully set forth hereinafterand pointed out in the annexed claims. In connection with the followingdetailed description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a front view of a cabinet in.- volving my invention,parts being broken away to reveal the construct-ion of other parts.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the cabinet, showing a stack ofpaper drinking cups therein.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the cabinet when openedto permit the loadingofY a stack of cups therein.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the cabinet when j in the position illustratedin'Fig. 4.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

In accordance with my invention` I prefer to form the cabinet of sheetmetal or the like, and to this end I provide an inclosing shell 1 madefrom a single sheet of material and bent or pressed to form a rear wall2, side walls 3, 3 and inturned front flanges 4, 4, as shown in Fig. 4.The shell' 1 incloses a substantially rectangular space for the greaterportion of its length, which is open at both ends. At their lower ends,below the lower edges of fianges 4,4, the side walls 3, 3 o f the s hellhave forwardly disposed.

extensions 5,5, Figs. 2 and 5 for a purpose hereinafter described, andsaid side walls 3, 3, including said extensions 5, 5, have their loweredges 6, 6 inclined downwardly to the rear, as shown in Fig. 5.

`The rear wall 2 provides screw holes 7, 7 Fig.` 4, for the attachmentof the' cabinet to a plane Wall or surface 8. Said rear wall is formedwith longitudinal interior projections or guides on its inner side, asshown at 9, 9, these guides being preferably constituted by grooving theouter face of said rea-r wall. These guides assist in controlling thedescent of a weight 10, whose edge adjacent said rear wall 2 isrecessed, as at 11, to straddle the guides 9, 9. The side edges of theweightI 10 slide in substantial Contact with inwardly projecting guidingportions 12, 12, formed on supplemental side walls 13, 13 which areattached to the 'side walls 3, 3 of the shell and have, at the rear,inturned `flanges 14. 14 which are spaced from the rear wall 2 of theshell.

The spaces thus formed between flanges 14,

14 and rear wall 2 constitute guideways for the alined'projections 15,15 of said weight 10, these spaces being closed at the top of the shellby lips 16, after the weight- 10 is in position, to prevent eitherintentional or accidental withdrawal of the weight from the cabinet. Itwill be seen, however, as

shown in Figs. 4 and 5, thatI this construc-y tion, while preventing thewithdrawal of the weight 10, permits the latter when the cabinet isopen, to be' swung on its said projections into a position slightly pasta vertical position, and be supported against the rear wall of thecabinet when said weight is at the limit of its upward movement, therebyfacilitating the introduction of a stack of cups into the shell from thetop, as hereinafter described.

The front flanges 4, 4 provide for the support of a transverse verticalplate 17, which defines, in conjunction with the guiding portions 12,the fianges 14 and the guides 9, a rectangular space within the shelladapted to receive the stack of rectangular cups, when said cups lie inthe inclined position. shown in Fig. 2. That is to say, the cups of.said stack, when in the receptacle or cabinet, have their edges at therear end in contact with the flanges 14, and their edges at the front incontact with the flanges 4 and with the plate 17 which conside walls 3.

stitutes an extension of said flanges 4. The

side edges of the cups are in contact with the guiding portions 12, andthus the corners of thecups are maintained out of contact with anycorners of the cabinet, thereby reducing the liability for the cupsy tostick or bind in their descent toward the lower` end of the cabinet. Thecups lie substantially parallel to the inclined lower edges 6 of theside walls 3, which lower edges define the discharge mouth of thecabinet at the bottom thereof. outwardly at 18 near its lower end, tolie substantially normal to said lower edges 6, whereby the lowermostcups of the stack, three or four in number, are guided forwardly andoutwardly in the act of being withdrawn from the cabinet. The plate 17at its lower end has a portion or tongue thereof turned up as at 19 toprovide a central bearing for a shaft or rod 20. which is attached atits ends to the extensions 5 of A similar shaft 21 is supported by abead 22 formed from the metal of rear wall 2, between the guides 9 attheir lower ends, and said shaft 21 is supported at its ends in the sidewalls 3.

The two shafts 20' and 21 afford support for a pair of hinged doors 23,23 at the discharge mouth of the cabinet, these doors f having integralbeads 24 surrounding their respective shafts on opposite sides of thesupporting beads 19 and Springs 25, surrounding shafts 2O and21 andattached at their adjacent ends to stationary beads 1Q and 22. havetheir oppositeends 26, 26 bearing against the faces of the correspondingdoors. whereby said doorsv are urged yieldingly inward against stops 2T.28 formed vby projecting tongues on the plate 17 and on the rea'r wall2. respectively. Said doors 23- yielding outwardly to permit itswithdrawal,

and thereafter springing inwardly under the action of springs 25. toagain partially close the discharge opening and to support the remainingcups of the stack.

The plate 17 has its upper edge. between the flanges 4. 4,overturned. asat 30. to receive and support a concavefplate 31. the latter closing theoutside 0f the receptacle as a continuation of the flanges 4. andfollowing the contour of the upper edges of extensions 5. The frontedges of extensions 5 are joined by a substantially vertical plate whoselower edge is int-u-rned, as at 33. to close the space between saidextensions 5; said inturned portion terminating adiacent the outwardbend 18 of plate 17. ISaid portion 33 provides an aperture 34 to receivea The plate 1T is bent' ,shaft 37 which is carried by the side walls 3,3 at the lower rear corners thereof, below the shaft 21. A spring 38surrounds said shaft and normally acts to open said door 36 when thelatch 35 is withdrawn from the opening 34, by means of a key, or thelike, inserted in the lock 39 of said latch. lVhen the cabinet is inuse. the door 36 hangs downwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, to permit thewithdrawal of cups past the doors 23, 23. In ease it is desired toprevent the withdrawal of cups from the cabinet, the door 36 is swungupwardly, and the spring latch 35, entering the aperture 34, retains thedoor in closed position until said latch is again unlocked by theattendant.

Atits upper edge, adjacent its intersection with `the curved plate 31,the plate 32 provides a pair of beads 40, 40 for the support of a. shaft41. The latter has journaled thereon a swinging front 42 of sheet metal,having integral beads 43 on its lower edge to provide a hingedconneftion with said shaft. This front 42 is curved inwardly, as at. 44,above its hinged edge. and thereafter -rises substantially vertically tolie flat against the flanges 4 when in closed position. the upper endbeing turned rearward and, horizontally, as at 45. to provide a closurefor the top of the cabinet. The sides of the` hinged front and topclosure thus formed are anged. as at 46, to embrace the side walls 3, 3when the closure is in position. If desired. a suitable aperture may beformed in the front of said closure, as at 47. to contain a paney ofglass 48. whereby it is possible to ascertainwhen the supply of cupswithin the cabinet needs replenishment without opening the cabinet.'Preferably also this front closure carries near the top a spring y latch49 actuated bv a lock 50. and adapted to be received within a latchingaperture 51. provided by a transverse bar 52 which is carried betweenthe Hanges 4, 4. l

Vhen the latch 49 is withdrawn to permit the front closure 42 to beopened, bv swinging the same backward on its pivot 41, said closure inits lowest position will make contact along its edge 53 with the wall orsupport 8. and there will be no contact of said closure with thecabinet. except where it is hinged at 41. curvature or swell 44 at thelower end of said closure. whereby it is hinged in a position offsetforwardly from the plane of the Hanges 4. v4 of the cabinet. Because ofthis arrangement yof parts, all danger of breaking or of tearingtheclosure loose from its hinges when the same is swung downwardly isavoided. since the closure makes contact with thewall or support 8before it has a chance to strike the plate 32 or the door 36, as shownin Figs. 4`and 5.

This is due to the outward e porting wall' 8'.

I claim,

1. A drinking cup cabinet, comprising a sheetmetal casing open at thetop and bottom and having a rear wall provided With interiorlongitudinal ribs, side walls flanged* in the plane of the front Wall,yand supplemental side walls supported by the'side walls of the casingand forming side guides', and a slidable weight contained between said,rear longitudinal ribs, said front flanges and said sideV guides, and adoor covering -the space between said front Iianges.

2L A drinking cup cabinet, comprising a' sheet metal casing, a slidableweight for pressing the cups downwardly, provided at its rear cornerswith trunnions, said casing having guideways for said trunnionsandAsupplementalside walls supported by the side walls of the casing andcontacting with said slidable weight. v

3. The combination in a drinking vcup cabinet, comprising a sheet metalcasing and having interlor ianges on its opposite sldes Y spaced fromtherear wall forming a pair of vertical guideways, of a vertically slidableweight extending between said flanges,cand

a pair of projections on oppositel sides ofl said weight extendingtoward` the sldes of the cabinet and into said guideways, saidprojections beinglalined to provide an axis upon which saidweight may berocked int-o a vertical position.'H 7

4. A drinking cup cabinet comprising 'a sheet metal casing open at thetop A.and bottom and' pressed into substantially rectangular shape incross'section, a slidable weightl for pressing the cups downwardprovided at its rear corners with trunnions, guideways at the rearcorners of said casin said trunnions, longitudinal ribs spaced rom saidguideways to hold the cups ,away from said trunnions..

. 5.]A drinking cup cabinet comprising a sheet metal casing, a weightfor pressing the cups downwardly, having at its rear'corners a pair oftrunnions, gideways at the corners of the casing for said ft'runnionsrhaving their-'upper ends closed to prevent the withdrawal of said weightand .to form ahinged connection between said weight and said casin v 6.-A ldrlnking cup cabinet comprising a sheet metal casing pressed into asubstantially rectangular 'shape in cross section, a slidable weightpforpressing' upon the cups and having at `its rear ycorners a pair of fortrunnions, vertical guideways to receive said trunnions, having theirupper ends closed to permit a rocking movement of said trunnions againstthe closed ends of said guideways for the,insertion of cups, with theweight supported in its raised position.

7. A drinking cup cabinet, comprising a sheet metal casing open at itsfront and having` its side walls forwardly extended at the bottom of'the casing, a transverselvertical plate between the forwardly extendedside walls and in the plane of the front of the casing, a vertical platejclosing the outside of 4said extended side Walls, and a door hinged atthe upper edge of said vertical plate having a lower concave sectionandan upper plain section lcovering the -front -of the caslng.

Dated this 2nd dayl of May, 1917.

Witnesses: l

NELLIE-WHALEN, PENELOPE CoisrenmsAGH.4

WILLARD- E. SWIFT. l Y

